Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that his resignation is “84 days past due” as the two sparred over the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The encounter occurred on Twitter, where Ocasio-Cortez was explaining that she faced bipartisan opposition to improving conditions at the U.S-Mexico border. She called out “Ted Cruz types” who are taking trips to the border but had voted for policies that helped created the problem.
“And the fact is a LOT of Ted Cruz types who are now going down to meet refugee children in boats outfitted w/ machine guns are the ones who helped create this problem in the first place,” she said.
Ocasio-Cortez further tweeted: “For all those who are brand new to this & only care about cages on a partisan basis, catch up: we‘ve been fighting our own party on immigration for a long time. This is the result of Congress endlessly dumping money into CBP/ICE cages vs humane policy”
That tweet led Cruz to respond, “.@AOC explains the real Dem position: abolish ICE. Full open borders. Which would make the #BidenBorderCrisis even worse.”
“She says nothing else works. Really? Last year, we had the lowest illegal immigration IN 45 YEARS. This year, we have the highest in 20 years,” Cruz tweeted.
Ocasio-Cortez then hit back at Cruz, calling him out for his February trip to Cancún, Mexico, as his state was dealing with extreme winter weather. She also said Cruz “funded cages, expanded cages, and yet you’re complaining about cages. You have no policy, just puff.”
“Maybe Mexico shouldn’t let YOU in the next time you try to run away from your job to sip umbrella drinks in Cancún,” she tweeted. “A reminder that your resignation is 84 days past due. At least.”
The last quote appears to reference calls for Cruz’s resignation after critics accused the Texas Republican of helping to incite the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
The conversation comes as the Biden administration quickly grapples with an influx of migrants at the southern border. Democrats and Republicans alike have referred to the surge as a “crisis,” and the GOP has largely blamed President Biden’s supposed lax border policies for the influx.
Ocasio-Cortez said during a virtual town hall that the conditions at the border were “barbaric” and “horrifying.”